The unexposed Spades Are Trumps might get punters off to a successful start in today’s Navan Membership Rated Novice Hurdle.

From the in-form yard of Gavin Cromwell, this five-year-old Yeats gelding is the choice of J P McManus’ retained rider Barry Geraghty, ahead of course and distance winner Gran Geste.

And, with a rating of 126 and scope for plenty of improvement, Cromwell’s charge should be tough to beat.

Spades Are Trumps showed distinct promise on his debut at Wexford in October, when, an unconsidered 50/1 shot, he finished a pleasing third behind the McManus-owned odds-on favourite Early Doors.

The selection stepped-up on that debut effort to open his account in his only subsequent start. He got up late under a strong Geraghty drive to pip 4/11 shot Paloma Blue and Athenean in a two-mile maiden hurdle at Punchestown in late November.

The runner-up and third both won maiden hurdles next time. That victory by Spades Are Trumps was a creditable effort on only his second career start. And he showed a willing attitude on the run-in, challenging between horses to land the spoils.

Further improvement is expected today. And that might be good enough to foil the other McManus runner Gran Geste, narrow conqueror of Cask Mare over this course and distance, the Mick Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad, which landed a significant gamble in Cork last time, and four-year-old Veneer Of Charm, receiving plenty of weight.

With a rating of 127, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Mortal sets the standard in the www.navanracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle.

Winner of his only bumper, at Limerick in March and fourth to Red Jack on his hurdling bow in Naas, this fellow was upsides Carter McKay when crashing at the final flight at Gowran Park last month.

And, last time, he finished second to Dicey O’Reilly at Leopardstown over Christmas, with the likes of Someday and Ballyward close behind.

A reproduction of that sort of form might see him home here, at the expense of Gordon Elliott’s interesting point-to-point scorer Roundstone and the Willie Mullins, left, challenger Antey, third to Ellie Mac at Leopardstown.

The Paul Nolan-trained Monotype , winner of a rated event at Limerick’s Christmas meeting, appeals as an each-way prospect in today’s featured Navan Handicap Hurdle.

In contrast, 12-year-old top-weight Smokey Joe Joe, without a hurdle win since March 2011, should figure prominently in the Thank You Johanna McGarry Handicap Hurdle.

Steve Mahon’s charge, a last fence faller in a veterans chase at Limerick over Christmas, made amends when scoring off 122 in a handicap chase in Cork last time and competes here off a hurdle mark of 107.